Inside and outside structures of discharging refrigerant in bi-directional swash plate type compressor

ABSTRACT

There are provided inside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-direction swash plate type compressor, and more particularly, inside and outside structures of discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor in which, when a discharge port for discharging a refrigerant is positioned in a rear housing, all refrigerant compressed in front and rear regions of the compressor is moved into a muffler space and is discharged when pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced. Accordingly, noise of the compressor is significantly reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.10-2006-0054016 (filed on Jun. 15, 2006) and 10-2007-0029503 (filed onMar. 27, 2007), in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to inside and outside structures ofdischarging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate typecompressor, and more particularly, to inside and outside structures ofdischarging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate typecompressor in which all of the refrigerant compressed in front and rearregions of the compressor is moved into a muffler space and isdischarged when pulsation is reduced, irrespective of the position of adischarge port for discharging the refrigerant, so that the noise andvibration of the compressor can be significantly reduced.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, as an apparatus for maintaining a proper temperature inside avehicle, an air conditioner for an automobile comprises a compressor, acondenser, an expansion valve, and a vaporizer, to form a cooling cycle.

The compressor for an automobile is operated when a part of powergenerated in an engine is applied. A swash plate type compressor iswidely used.

Below, the swash plate type compressor will be described with referenceto drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an external appearance of a conventional swashplate type compressor, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an example ofan inside structure of the conventional swash plate type compressor.

In the swash plate type compressor 9, a body 5 is formed by connecting afront cylinder 1 and a rear cylinder 3. A swash plate 7 is connected tobe inclined about a shaft 6 rotating inside the body 5. The swash platetype compressor 9 has the general constitution in which a refrigerant iscompressed by a piston (not shown) reciprocating by the swash plate 7rotating together with the shaft 6.

Further, the swash plate type compressor 9 has an intake port 3 a and adischarge port 3 b to allow the refrigerant to flow in or out from thebody 5. Typically, the intake port 3 a and the discharge port 3 b arepositioned in the body 5.

Flow of the refrigerant compressed in the body 5 will be described. Thecompressed refrigerant is moved to a front discharge part 5 a and a reardischarge part 5 b which are respectively formed at both sides (left andright sides relative to FIG. 2) of the body 5. The refrigerant in thefront discharge part 5 a and the rear discharge part 5 b jointly flowsin the rear discharge part 5 b and is discharged through the dischargeport 3 b.

In accordance with the aforementioned structure of the conventionalswash plate type compressor, since the refrigerant of the frontdischarge part 5 a, of the compressed refrigerant, is moved through amuffler 8 positioned in the body 5 before it is discharged, pulsation isreduced. However, since the refrigerant of the rear discharge part 5 bis directly discharged without passing through the muffler 8, itincreases noise and vibration by the pulsation of the refrigerant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides inside and outside structures fordischarging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate typecompressor in which, when a discharge port is positioned in a rearhousing, the refrigerant compressed in a front region and a rear regionof the compressor is all moved to a muffler space so that therefrigerant is discharged when its pulsation is reduced, therebysignificantly reducing noise and vibration of the compressor.

Embodiments of the present invention provide inside and outsidestructures for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash platetype compressor having the following characteristics:

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there are providedinside and outside structures for discharging a refrigerant in abi-directional swash plate type compressor in which, after a refrigerantcompressed in a body with a front cylinder and a rear cylinder istemporarily stored in a front discharge chamber and a rear dischargechamber respectively formed in front and rear sides in the body, therefrigerant jointly flow to be discharged through a discharge portformed in the rear housing, characterized by: a connecting path; and adischarge path inside the body, wherein the connecting path connectsthrough the muffler space, the front discharge chamber and the reardischarge chamber so that the refrigerant of the front discharge chamberand the rear discharge chamber is led to the muffler space formed in thebody, and wherein the discharge path connects through the discharge portand the muffler space so that the refrigerant from the muffler space isled to the discharge port to be discharged. Accordingly, the refrigerantof the front discharge chamber and the rear discharge chamber joins inthe muffler space and is discharged.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there areprovided the present invention provides inside and outside structuresfor discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate typecompressor in which, after a refrigerant compressed in a body with afront cylinder and a rear cylinder is temporarily stored in a frontdischarge chamber, formed in a front side in the body, and a reardischarge chamber, formed in a rear side in the body and in a rearhousing connected to the rear cylinder, the refrigerant jointly flow tobe discharged through a discharge port formed in the rear housing,characterized in that: the refrigerant discharged from the frontdischarge chamber is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rearhousing in a muffler space formed at an upper part of the body, so thata pulsation of the refrigerant is offset; and the refrigerant passesthrough a discharge path which is connected between the muffler spaceand the discharge port and which is formed outside the body, so that thepulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodimentsthereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an external appearance of a conventionalcompressor;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of theconventional compressor;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of acompressor, in which a discharge path is formed inside the compressor,according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the compressor of FIG. 3 being partiallydissembled;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an example of a structure of a compressor,in which a discharge path is formed outside the compressor, according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which adischarge path directly connected to a discharge port is formed outsidethe compressor, according to another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which adischarge path is formed to be directly connected from a muffler spaceto a discharge port, according to another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as being limited to theembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of acompressor, in which a discharge path is formed inside the compressor,according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is aperspective view of the compressor of FIG. 3 being partially dissembled;FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an example of a structure of a compressor,in which a discharge path is formed outside the compressor, according toanother embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a sectional viewof an example of a compressor, in which a discharge path directlyconnected to a discharge port is formed outside the compressor,according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 isa sectional view of an example of a compressor, in which a dischargepath is formed to be directly connected from a muffler space to adischarge port, according to another embodiment of the presentinvention.

In a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100, a refrigerant iscompressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30,and the compressed refrigerant is temporarily stored in each of a frontdischarge chamber 21 and a rear discharge chamber 23. The frontdischarge chamber 21 is formed in a front side in the body 10, and therear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear side in the body 10 and isspecifically formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder30. Thereafter, the compressed refrigerant temporarily stored in each ofthe front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 jointlyflows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rearhousing 70. When the refrigerant discharged from the rear dischargechamber 21 is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rearhousing 70 in a muffler space 29 formed at an upper part of the body, apulsation of the refrigerant mixed is offset. Further, while therefrigerant passes through a discharge path 27 formed between themuffler space 29 and the discharge port 19, the pulsation of therefrigerant is reduced.

The present invention with the above-described characteristics will beclearly described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof.

Below, the present invention will be described, in detail, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an example of an inside structure of acompressor 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.4 is a partial perspective view of the compressor being dissembled.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the compressor 100 has a body 10 comprising afront cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30. Inside the body 10, a frontdischarge chamber 21 is formed at a front side (the left side relativeto FIG. 3) of a swash plate 20 to be positioned, and a rear dischargechamber 23 is formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder30 at a rear side (the right side relative to FIG. 3) of the swash plate20.

The rear housing 70 includes an intake port 17 for introducing arefrigerant into the body 10, and a discharge port 19 for dischargingthe refrigerant compressed in the body.

The front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23temporarily store the compressed refrigerant in the front and rearregions inside the body 10. A desirable structure for discharging thecompressed refrigerant of the front and rear discharge chambers 21 and23 by reducing the pulsation of the refrigerant to reduce the noise andvibration thereof will be described.

For the above desirable structure, a muffler space 29 and a connectingpath 25 are formed inside the body 10 (at an upper part relative to FIG.3). The muffler space 29 is to reduce the pulsation of the compressedrefrigerant. The connecting path 25 connects through the muffler space29, the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23, tolead the refrigerant of the front and rear discharge chambers 21 and 23into the muffler space 29.

Since the gist of the present invention is to allow the refrigerant ofthe rear discharge chamber 23 to be moved into the muffler space 29 andthereafter to be discharged, the rear discharge chamber 23 should not bedirectly connected to the discharge port 19.

Further, a discharge path 27 is formed inside the body 10. The dischargepath 27 connects through the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19.Therefore, the refrigerant from the muffler space 29 is led to thedischarge port 19 and is discharged through the discharge port 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, in the structure with the discharge path 27and the connecting path 25, the connecting path 25 is formed byconnecting apertures 31, 41 and 51 which are respectively formed in therear cylinder 30, a gasket 40 and a valve plate 50 and which arecontinuously aligned.

Further, the discharge path 27 is formed by discharge apertures 37, 47and 57 which are respectively formed on the components, that is, therear cylinder 30, the gasket 40 and the valve plate 50 and which arecontinuously aligned. The discharge apertures 37, 47 and 57 formed thecomponents are formed at protrusions 35, 45 and 55 which respectivelyprotrude outward each component, to more easily form the discharge path27 upon manufacturing.

Reference numeral “60” indicates a gasket head which includes aprotrusion 65 and a discharge aperture 67 formed on the protrusion 65,to form the discharge path 27, together with the other components.

In accordance with the above-described structure, the refrigerant iscompressed inside the body 10 and moved into each of the front dischargechamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23. Then all the refrigerantis moved to the muffler space 29 through the connecting path 25, andthereafter, the pulsation of the refrigerant is sufficiently reduced inthe muffler space 29, and the refrigerant is discharged through thedischarge port 19.

Consequently, in the structure for discharging the refrigerant in thecompressor according to the embodiment of the present invention, allrefrigerant compressed inside the body 10 is discharged after passingthrough the muffler space 29.

The structure in which the discharge path is formed outside the bodywill be described below:

In a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100, a refrigerant iscompressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30,and the compressed refrigerant is temporarily stored in each of a frontdischarge chamber 21 and a rear discharge chamber 23. The frontdischarge chamber 21 is formed in a front side in the body 10, and therear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear side in the body 10 and isspecifically formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder30. Thereafter, the compressed refrigerant temporarily stored in each ofthe front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 jointlyflows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rearhousing 70. When the refrigerant discharged from the rear dischargechamber 21 is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rearhousing 70 in a muffler space 29 formed at an upper part of the body, apulsation of the refrigerant is offset. Further, while the refrigerantpasses through a discharge path 27 which connects the muffler space 29and the discharge port 19 and which is formed outside the body, thepulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

Further, a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100, a refrigerantis compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder30, and the compressed refrigerant is temporarily stored in each of afront discharge chamber 21 and a rear discharge chamber 23. The frontdischarge chamber 21 is formed in a front side in the body 10, and therear discharge chamber 23 is formed in a rear side in the body 10 and isspecifically formed in a rear housing 70 connected to the rear cylinder30. Thereafter, the compressed refrigerant temporarily stored in each ofthe front discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 jointlyflows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rearhousing 70. Wherein, the bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100comprises: a connecting path 25 and a discharge path 27 inside the body10. The connecting path 25 connects through the muffler space 29, thefront discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23, to leadthe refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear dischargechamber 23 into the muffler space 29 formed at an upper part of the body10. The discharge chamber 27 is connected to the discharge port 19 andthe muffler space 29 and is formed outside the body. The discharge path27 allows the refrigerant to flow from the muffler space 29 and to beled to the discharge port 19 through which the refrigerant isdischarged. Therefore, the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21and the rear discharge chamber 23 is discharged after joining in themuffler space 29.

Then, the discharge path 27 is directly connected to the discharge port19.

Further, the discharge path 27 is connected to the body 10, at aposition spaced apart from the discharge port 19 at a predeterminedinterval. A flow path 80 is formed between the discharge path 27 and thedischarge port 19 inside the body 10.

That is, the refrigerant discharged from the front discharge chamber 21is mixed with the refrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 in themuffler space 29 formed at the upper part in the body 10, so that thepulsation of the refrigerant is offset. Further, the refrigerant passesthrough the discharge path 27 which connects the muffler space 29 andthe discharge port 19 and which is formed outside the body, so that therefrigerant is discharged through the discharge port 19 after thepulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.

Then, the discharge path 27 may be selected, in use, from a pipe shape,an O-ring shape, or a stopper shape.

As described above, in accordance with the inside and outside structuresfor discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate typecompressor, since all refrigerant compressed in the front region and therear region inside the compressor is moved into the muffler space andthereafter is discharged irrespective of the position of the dischargeport 19. When the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced, the noise andvibration of the compressor is significantly reduced.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the following claims.

1. An inside structure for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directionalswash plate type compressor 100 in which, after a refrigerant compressedin a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30 istemporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 formed in afront side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23 formed in arear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connected to the rearcylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be discharged through adischarge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, characterized in that:the refrigerant discharged from the front discharge chamber 21 and therefrigerant discharged from the rear housing 70 are mixed together in amuffler space 29 formed inside the upper part of the body 10, so that apulsation of the refrigerant is offset; and the refrigerant passesthrough a discharge path 27 formed between the muffler space 29 and thedischarge port 19, so that the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.2. An inside structure for discharging a refrigerant in a bi-directionalswash plate type compressor 100 in which, after a refrigerant compressedin a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 30 istemporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber 21 formed in afront side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23 formed in arear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connected to the rearcylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be discharged through adischarge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, comprising: aconnecting path 25; and a discharge path 27, and wherein, to lead therefrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear dischargechamber 23 into a muffler space 29 formed in the body 10, the connectingpath 25 connects through the muffler space 29, the front dischargechamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23; wherein, to lead therefrigerant from the muffler space 29 to the discharge port 19 throughwhich the refrigerant is discharged, the discharge path 27 connectsthrough the discharge port 19 and the muffler space 29, and wherein,after the refrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the reardischarge chamber 23 is joined in the muffler space 29, the refrigerantis discharged.
 3. The inside structure of claim 2, wherein the dischargepath 27 is formed by discharge apertures 37, 47, 57 and 67 respectivelyformed in the components including the rear housing 70, a gasket 40connected to the rear housing 70, a valve plate 50 and a gasket head 60and continuously aligned from one another.
 4. The inside structure ofclaim 3, wherein the discharge apertures 37, 47, 57 and 67 arerespectively formed in protrusions 35, 45, 55 and 65 protruding outwardfrom the components.
 5. An outside structure for discharging arefrigerant in a bi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 inwhich, after a refrigerant compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder11 and a rear cylinder 30 is temporarily stored in each of a frontdischarge chamber 21 formed in a front side in the body 10 and a reardischarge chamber 23 formed in a rear side in the body 10 and in a rearhousing 70 connected to the rear cylinder 30, the refrigerant jointlyflows to be discharged through a discharge port 19 formed in the rearhousing 70, characterized in that: the refrigerant discharged from thefront discharge chamber 21 and the refrigerant discharged from the rearhousing 70 are mixed together in a muffler space 29 formed outside theupper part of the body 10, so that a pulsation of the refrigerant isoffset; and the refrigerant passes through a discharge path 27connecting the muffler space 29 and the discharge port 19 and formedoutside the body, so that the pulsation of the refrigerant is reduced.6. An outside structure for discharging a refrigerant in abi-directional swash plate type compressor 100 in which, after arefrigerant compressed in a body 10 with a front cylinder 11 and a rearcylinder 30 is temporarily stored in each of a front discharge chamber21 formed in a front side in the body 10 and a rear discharge chamber 23formed in a rear side in the body 10 and in a rear housing 70 connectedto the rear cylinder 30, the refrigerant jointly flows to be dischargedthrough a discharge port 19 formed in the rear housing 70, comprising: aconnecting path 25; and a discharge path 27, and wherein, to lead therefrigerant of the front discharge chamber 21 and the rear dischargechamber 23 into a muffler space 29 formed in the body 10, the connectingpath 25 connects through the muffler space 29, the front dischargechamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23; wherein, to lead therefrigerant from the muffler space 29 to the discharge port 19 throughwhich the refrigerant is discharged, the discharge path 27 is connectedto the discharge port 19 and the muffler space 29 and formed outside thebody to flow the refrigerant, and wherein, after the refrigerant of thefront discharge chamber 21 and the rear discharge chamber 23 is joinedin the muffler space 29, the refrigerant is discharged.
 7. The outsidestructure of claim 6, wherein the discharge path 27 is not directlyconnected to the discharge port
 19. 8. The outside structure of claim 6,wherein the discharge path 27 is connected to the body 10 at a positionspaced apart from the discharge port 19 at a predetermined interval, anda flow path 80 is formed between the discharge path 27 and the dischargeport 19 inside the body
 10. 9. The outside structure of claim 6, whereinthe discharge path 27 uses, selecting any one of a pipe shape, an O-ringshape and a stopper shape.